Columbus Approves $4.6 Million Engineering Contract for Olentangy Sewer Tunnel
The design contract begins an eight-year project to reduce sewage overflows along the Olentangy River between Tuttle Park and Antrim Park.
Columbus City Council approved an initial $4.6 million professional engineering services contract with Black and Veatch Corporation for Phase 2 of the Lower Olentangy Tunnel at its Nov. 2 meeting. The legislation authorizes Columbus Water and Power to begin design work on a relief sewer system to reduce sewer overflows along the Olentangy River corridor between Tuttle Park and Antrim Park.
A deep concrete drop shaft for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel project near Tuttle Park in Columbus.
Credit: WOSU Public Media Image source
According to city planning documents, the relief sewer is planned to measure at least 96 inches in diameter and will be built using tunneling or microtunneling methods from a downstream connection at Phase 1 in Tuttle Park to an upstream terminus near Antrim Park. The tunnel project is intended to relieve three of the 25 main trunk sewers in the municipal collection system. According to city records, the project will address hydraulic inefficiencies within tributary areas of the Olentangy Main Interceptor, Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer, and Clinton No. 3 Trunk Sewer to mitigate overflows from the sewer system to a 10-year level of service.
City records outline a total engineering cost of $24.6 million across seven planned contract modifications. The project carries an eight-year delivery timeline, requiring about 3.5 years for evaluation and design followed by four to five years for easement acquisition, construction, and post-construction warranty oversight.
Black and Veatch plans to perform the engineering work using five local subconsultants: AECOM Technical Services, Resource International, Dynotec, Magna Engineers, and DHDC Engineering Consulting Services.
The contract is contingent on state financing through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, a reimbursement program jointly administered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Water Development Authority. The development authority's board is scheduled to consider formal loan approval in December.
Previously, Pique Media reported on council scheduling action on Oct. 23 and council considering the contract proposal on Oct. 29.
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Columbus City Council · 2026-11-02
Supporting evidence (2)
Columbus City Council approved an initial $4.6 million professional engineering services contract with Black and Veatch Corporation for Phase 2 of the Lower Olentangy Tunnel at its Nov. 2 meeting.
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2830-2026 · To authorize the Director of Columbus Water and Power to enter into a professional engineering services contract with Black and Veatch Corporation for the Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 project; to authorize the appropriation of funds within the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund; to authorize this contract to be funded with a loan from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund; to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving a loan for this project; and to authorize the expenditure of up to $4,595,036.43 from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund for the contract. ($4,595,036.43) Approved ·
Columbus City Council approved an initial $4.6 million professional engineering services contract with Black and Veatch Corporation for Phase 2 of the Lower Olentangy Tunnel at its Nov. 2 meeting.
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REGULAR MEETING NO. 49 OF COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL, NOVEMBER 2, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
Supporting evidence (9)
The legislation authorizes Columbus Water and Power to begin design work on a relief sewer system to reduce sewer overflows along the Olentangy River corridor between Tuttle Park and Antrim Park.
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Columbus Water & Power (CWP), Division of Water Reclamation (DWR) has identified the need to provide additional hydraulic capacity to improve water quality and reduce the potential for human contact with waterborne pollutants by mitigating overflows from the sewer system to a 10-year level of service along portions the Olentangy River. This project will address hydraulic inefficiencies, potential alterations to land uses and rapidly developing areas within the Olentangy Main Interceptor (OMI), Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer (CVM) and Clinton No.3 Trunk Sewer (CL3) sewers’ tributary areas through the Lower Olentangy Tunnel (LOT) Phase 2 contract. It is tentatively assumed that a relief sewer will be constructed with a minimum of 96-inches in diameter and will need to be constructed via tunneling or micro tunneling methods from its downstream connection to LOT Phase 1 in Tuttle Park, to its upstream terminus near Antrim Park, along with additional interception points along the alignment.
According to city planning documents, the relief sewer is planned to measure at least 96 inches in diameter and will be built using tunneling or microtunneling methods from a downstream connection at Phase 1 in Tuttle Park to an upstream terminus near Antrim Park.
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It is tentatively assumed that a relief sewer will be constructed with a minimum of 96-inches in diameter and will need to be constructed via tunneling or micro tunneling methods from its downstream connection to LOT Phase 1 in Tuttle Park, to its upstream terminus near Antrim Park, along with additional interception points along the alignment.
The tunnel project is intended to relieve three of the 25 main trunk sewers in the municipal collection system.
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This project will allow the City of Columbus to address multiple sanitary sewer overflows at several designed sanitary relief's along the Olentangy River corridor. The tunnel will relieve 3 of the 25 main trunk sewers in the City's collection system.
According to city records, the project will address hydraulic inefficiencies within tributary areas of the Olentangy Main Interceptor, Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer, and Clinton No. 3 Trunk Sewer to mitigate overflows from the sewer system to a 10-year level of service.
Read supporting passage
Columbus Water & Power (CWP), Division of Water Reclamation (DWR) has identified the need to provide additional hydraulic capacity to improve water quality and reduce the potential for human contact with waterborne pollutants by mitigating overflows from the sewer system to a 10-year level of service along portions the Olentangy River. This project will address hydraulic inefficiencies, potential alterations to land uses and rapidly developing areas within the Olentangy Main Interceptor (OMI), Clintonville Main Trunk Sewer (CVM) and Clinton No.3 Trunk Sewer (CL3) sewers’ tributary areas through the Lower Olentangy Tunnel (LOT) Phase 2 contract.
City records outline a total engineering cost of $24.6 million across seven planned contract modifications.
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ESTIMATED COST OF PROJECT: The proposed award amount is $4,595,036.43. Seven contract modifications are anticipated. Cost summary: Original Contract $4,595,036.43 Modification #1 $5,500,000.00 Modification #2 $5,500,000.00 Modification #3 $2,000,000.00 Modification #4 $2,000,000.00 Modification #5 $2,000,000.00 Modification #6 $2,000,000.00 Modification #7 $1,000,000.00 CONTRACT TOTAL $24,595,036.43
The project carries an eight-year delivery timeline, requiring about 3.5 years for evaluation and design followed by four to five years for easement acquisition, construction, and post-construction warranty oversight.
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TIMELINE: It is expected to take approximately 3.5 years for the evaluation and design of the necessary improvements and an additional 4 to 5 years to complete the easement acquisition, construction and warranty period. This contract will also include engineering services during construction.
Black and Veatch plans to perform the engineering work using five local subconsultants: AECOM Technical Services, Resource International, Dynotec, Magna Engineers, and DHDC Engineering Consulting Services.
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As part of their proposal, Black and Veatch Corporation has proposed using the following sub-consultants to perform contract work: Company Name City/State ODI Cert. Status AECOM Technical Services, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MAJ Resource International, Inc. Columbus, Ohio WBE Dynotec, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MBE Magna Engineers Columbus, Ohio WBE DHDC Engineering Consulting Services, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MBE
The contract is contingent on state financing through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund, a reimbursement program jointly administered by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Water Development Authority.
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This project is anticipated to be financed with a Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF). The WPCLF program is jointly administered by the Ohio EPA's Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA). City Council authorized this loan application and acceptance of funding via Ordinance 3119-2025 passed by Council on 12/15/25. This loan is expected to be approved at the December 2026 OWDA Board meeting. This ordinance is contingent upon a loan being approved by OWDA. The WPCLF loan program is a reimbursement program. Columbus Water and Power will need to pay invoices for the project and submit the invoices paid to OWDA for reimbursement.
The development authority's board is scheduled to consider formal loan approval in December.
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This loan is expected to be approved at the December 2026 OWDA Board meeting.
Columbus City Council Schedules Action on Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 Engineering Contract
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on council scheduling action on Oct. 23 and council considering the contract proposal on Oct. 29.
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Columbus City Council Schedules Action on Lower Olentangy Tunnel Phase 2 Engineering Contract
Columbus City Council Considers Lower Olentangy Tunnel Engineering Contract
Supporting evidence (1)
Previously, Pique Media reported on council scheduling action on Oct. 23 and council considering the contract proposal on Oct. 29.
Read supporting passage
Columbus City Council Considers Lower Olentangy Tunnel Engineering Contract